Lfl 231 
.04 
1910 
Copy 1 



vy 



ral 0. ^ n 

What the 

ne Mill Tax 



For Schools 



Has done for 



Alabama Counties 







Issued by the 

Alabama Department of Education 

Harry C. Gunnels, Superintendent 
October, 1910 



Introductory 







That a local tax for schools is approved by 
the people all testimony establishes. In those 
counties where the constitutional one mill has 
been levied the citizens would not give it up, 
and, more, they demand the right to vote a 
larger levy by districts believing that this is 
a privilege they should enjoy for the building 
up of education. 

Under the present constitution it is possi- 
ble to levy only one mill, or ten cents on the 
hundred dollars, for schools in each county, 
and this must be by special vote of the peo- 
ple. In the counties that have accepted this 
plan the fund is regarded as indispensable 
and the people would not be without it. At 
every opportunity they express approval of it. 

Experience being the safest teacher, the 
evidence of those who have levied the local 
tax is important. Below are given a number 
of letters from superintendents of counties 
where the local tax has been adopted and they 
unhesitatingly commend the plan. In fact 
they show that having once had the additional 
fund the schools could not do without it. It 
promotes longer terms and makes it possible 
to secure better teachers. And the poorer 
patrons do not feel the burden, the taxes fall- 
ing, of course, on the owners of property, who, 
strange as it may seem, rarely ever oppose 
it, knowing that an educated people is the 
most prosperous people. 

The letters contained in this little pamphlet 
are in reply to a communication written by 
Mr. Hervey W. Laird, Secretary of the Ala- 
bama Education Committee, addressed to the 
County Superintendents of those counties 
which have levied the one mill tax. They 
show evidence indisputable that the people 
who have tested the good things that can 
come from the use of this one mill school tax, 
endorse it and want to continue the levy. 
HARRY C. GUNNELS, 

Supt. of Education. 
(2) 



Superintendents Testify 



Should Be Higher \, 

B. H. Wilkerson, Superintendent, Lamar 
County: "Local tax was first levied in 1905, 
for a term of 10 years, and in my opinion we 
could re-levy it almost without opposition. 
The rate should be 20 cents instead of 10 cents 
on the one hundred dollars." 

Needed By Districts 

J. Alexander Smith, Superintendent, Fay- 
ette County: "This county levied a special 
school tax on April 8, 1905, for a period of 
10 years. It has served to lengthen the terms 
materially in this county. I am altogether in 
favor of this tax, and, further than that, I 
am in favor of a local tax by districts, and 
if we have an opportunity I think we shall 
be able over here to roll up a good majority 
in favor of a constitutional amendment to this 
effect." 

Will Vote tt Again 

Sam Ingram, Superintendent, Blount Coun- 
ty: "The local tax for schools in Blount 
County is giving satisfaction. I am sure we 
will have no trouble in carrying it when the 
time comes for another vote." 

Universally Approved 

Jef Sox, Superintendent, Coosa County: 
"This county levied a tax for five years. We 
have had the benefit of the tax for four years. 
I have been almost all over the county and I 
have talked with representative men from 
different parts of the county and I find but 
little opposition to the measure. From this 
special tax we collect about $2,200 each year." 

(3) 



Gives Longer Terms 
R. E. Blunt, Superintendent, Washington 
County: "We have the one mill tax in this 
county which adds about $3,200 to our public 
school fund, enabling us to have longer terms. 
No one feels this additional tax and we will 
vote in the November election for it to be con- 
tinued for a term of 10 years." 

Is a Popular Plan 

J. A. Barnes, Superintendent, Monroe Coun- 
ty: "In 1905 Monroe County voted the levy 
of a special one mill tax for the support of the 
public schools of the county for a period of 
five years. The election was held and carried 
by four-fifths majoritv. The one mill tax is 
a very popular scheme with the people and I 
hold no doubt whatever that it will be con- 
tinued and even increased if the legislature 
will provide for such increase." 

Would Even Raise It 

T. L. Head, Superintendent, Clarke County: 
" There has not been a murmur from the peo- 
ple about paying this tax. I think our people 
see that they have not enough money with 
even the one mill tax and they would vote for 
any good measure to raise this amount." 

No Backward Step 

M. T. Linder, Superintenednt, Talladega 
County: "I think I am safe in saying that 
Talladega County will take no backward step 
in educational lines. The one mill tax was 
voted on in 1904 and carried by a large ma- 
jority. Our people seem well satisfied with it." 

Cheerfully In Line 

S. R. Butler,- Superintendent, Madison Coun- 
ty: "The county tax levied by Madison 
County will expire in 1914. I believe the peo- 
ple of this county would cheerfully vote the 
tax again." 

(4) 



Pickens Approves It 

W. H. Storey, Superintendent, Pickens 
County: "The county school tax was levied 
in Pickens County in 1905 for a period of 10 
years. In regard to the district tax I will 
state that it is needed very much for reasons 
which I have set out in my reports to the De- 
partment of Education and papers read be- 
fore the Alabama Educational Association. It 
is my opinion that the Education Committee 
should prepare petitions asking the legisla- 
ture to submit an amendment to the people al- 
lowing the people of the State to vote on this 
proposition. With this petition should be a 
copy of the proposed amendment and some 
reasons for its adoption. The demand should 
be made by the neople and this can be secured 
by placing these petitions in the hands of the 
three trustees in each school district of the 
State. In this way the entire State can be 
canvassed in a very few days. If this is done 
the legislature will be more likely to pass the 
bill. 

"The legislature should pass a bill provid- 
ing the machinery for carrying the amend- 
ment into effect should it be adopted without 
waiting for the next session of the legisla- 
ture. 

"We advocate this tax in our teachers' 
meeting and in school rallies held throughout 
the country. I am very anxious to see a local 
tax amendment passed and if I can render any 
service to the committee I shall be glad to 
do so." 

No One Displeased 

J. W. Moore, Superintendent, Chilton Coun- 
ty: "We voted the one mill tax four years 
ago for six years and I have no cause to 
doubt it being voted in again." 

(5) 



In Good Favor 

B. F. Gilder, Superintendent, Marengo 
County: "This taxation seems to be in good 
favor with the people. It enables our public 
schools to run more than a month longer than 
they could run without it." 

Coffee Is In Line 

C. H. Byrd, Superintendent, Coffee County: 
"Our people appreciate the tax and would 
vote it again." 

Would Increase Amount 

W. T. Hollingsworth, Superintendent, Cham 
bers County: "The one mill tax for schools 
went into operation in 1906 for a period of 10 
years. This brings in revenue of $6,000 per 
annum and the people are well pleased with 
it. I am sure they will continue the tax and 
with some agitation would increase it." 

All Are For It 

B. F. Hammond, Superintendent, St. Clair 
County: "I can't call to mind a single voter 
who objects to this tax. Our people are for 
local tax to a finish and are handicapped as 
the law now stands." 

Increases School Fund 

T. H. Roberson, Superintendent, Franklin 
County: "This question was submitted to 
the voters in this county in 1904, and was car- 
ried for a term of five years. Again in 1908 
at the general election in November, seeing 
the first term of five years would expire be- 
fore another general election, it was submitted 
again for another term of five years with the 
result that it carried. In both elections it 
was carried by an excess of the three-fifths 
required. It adds about $3,100.00 to our 
school funds in this county and thereby 

(6) 



lengthens our school term about one month. 
The people are pleased with it. When the 
present term is out I am sure the people will 
vote for it again. " 

Essential In Crenshaw 

C. K. Sharpe, Superintendent, Crenshaw 
County: "We voted on this tax in 1905, and 
carried it, with only about 200 votes against 
it, for five years. As the five year levy had 
expired this year we voted to continue the 
levy and we only had 78 votes, out of 1,100 
votes cast, against it. Our people could not 
do without it. It enables us to run our public 
schools one month longer, and I honestly be- 
lieve, if the entire vote of the county could 
have been cast in this election the ratio of 
dissenting voters would have been less. I be- 
lieve we could have carried a three mill tax 
as easily as we carried the one mill tax. We 
made the levy for 10 years this time. I can 
not see why any county should fail to carry 
this tax. My argument used to the poor 
class of people was that they did not have to 
pay the tax but the property owners had it to 
pay. A tenant with seven children and prac- 
tically no personal property will pay absolute- 
ly nothing, and yet receive as much benefit as 
the children of the richest landlord in the 
county.'' 

Wins In Cullman 

W. M. Wood, Superintendent, Cullman Coun- 
ty: "An election was held in Cullman County 
May 8th, 1907, to determine whether the 
people favored taxation of this kind and they 
voted favorably by three-fourths majority 
levying such tax for the term of 10 years. 
This would seem to indicate the popularity of 
the measure in this county and I have never 
heard any objections urged against it." 

(7) 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



loci Tax i Q 022 115 157 4 

Chas. C. Johnson, S^; «u«n,, jrerry 

County: "Perry County was among the first 
to vote this tax. From a close observation of 
our people I am of the opinion that our schools 
will never be what they should be until the 
local units, the districts, be allowed to tax 
themselves for school purposes if they wish it. 
Give each district the right to tax itself for 
school purposes and allow it its per capita 
amount of the State fund and communities 
will build where intelligence prevails and 
from these communities will go out the school 
spirit." 

Pleased In Butler 

C. H. Lewis, Superintendent, Butler County: 
"We levied the one mill tax several years ago 
in Butler. The people are very much pleased 
over the results and I don't think we will have 
any opposition next time. We voted the tax 
for five years and I feel now that it would be 
almost indispensable, and we could not run 
the schools successfully without it." 



Lycurgus Leftwich, Superintendent, Clay 
County: "The local tax in my county is per- 
petual, so we do not have to vote on it. We 
like the local tax in our county and would be 
glad our laws were such we could assess .and 
collect more local tax." 



(8) 



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